Religion no longer has the prominent place in Canadian Specifc religious afliation has changed relatively little over society that it once had, as a source of personal and the past four years. Among Canadians who report a religious collective identity, as a set of important institutions, and afliation, 31 percent identify as Roman Catholic, 25 percent the basis for spiritual practice, ethics and behaviour. As a as Protestant, which breaks down as 18 percent mainline result, religion is no longer visible in the public sphere or (e.g., United, Anglican), and seven percent Conservative or the focus of public discussion (except on those occasions Evangelical. Another eight percent (up 3) identify as another when “unfamiliar” religious customs – Muslim head scarves form of Christian, which includes Greek Orthodox (2%) or and Sikh daggers – generate controversy). This secular trend “other” (6%), most of whom identifed themselves only as notwithstanding, religion continues to play an important “Christian.” role in the lives of many Canadians, and so warrants One in four (26%) report no religious afliation (e.g., atheist, attention. This year, Focus Canada updated trends on agnostic) (up 3 points from 2008), with this group most Canadians’ own religious afliations and explored religion in prevalent in B.C., among men, Canadians in the top income a social context. bracket, and those 18 to 29 years of age.
Personal connection Specific religious affiliation RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION. Statistics Canada has 2011 documented a steady decline in formal afliation to mainline Roman Catholic 31 Christian denominations over the past half century, and Mainline Protestant 18 Focus Canada indicates this trend is continuing. Seven in ten Conservative/Evangelical Protestant 7 (69%) Canadians now identify a religious afliation, now at Christian (non-specific) 6 its lowest point based on levels reported by Statistics Canada Eastern-rite Catholic 2 over the period 1985 to 2008. Muslim 1 Jewish 1 Hindu 1 Religious affiliation among Canadians Sikh 1985 - 2011* * Other 2 None 26
* Less than one percent 88 88 85 80 79 74 69
1985 1990 1995 2000 2004 2008 2011
* 1985-2008 from Statistics Canada (population aged 18+)
Focus Canada 2011 39 ATTENDING RELIGIOUS SERVICES. Although the IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION IN ONE’S LIFE. In addition proportion with a religious afliation continues to drop, to attending services, the personal importance placed on these Canadians are as observant as ever in terms of religion among those with an afliation remains strong. attending religious services. Three in ten (29%) say they Four in ten (39%) Canadians with a religious afliation say attend services at least once a week (up from 25% reported religion is a very important part of their life, with another in Focus Canada in 2007, and 21% in 2003), while fewer three in ten (32%) who say it is somewhat important, and a now doing so only for special services (e.g., Christmas mass, similar proportion saying not very (19%) or not at all (10%) Jewish High Holidays) (28%, down 5 points from 2007). important.
Another one in fve (22%, up 1) continue to say they have Personal importance of religion varies noticeably across a religious afliation but never attend services, with this the population. Strong importance is most widely group most prominently represented by Quebec residents expressed by Evangelical (73%) and other (51%) Christians, and Catholics. In contrast, weekly attendance is most widely but also among non-European immigrants (66%) and reported by Evangelical Christians (56%) and members of allophones (68%), in sharp contrast with Catholics (28%) non-Christian faiths (42%). and francophones (17%). Religion is also more likely to be personally important among residents of the Prairies, and those with less education and income.
Frequency of attending religious services Across age cohorts, Canadians aged 60 and over are most Among those with religious affiliation 2003- 2011 likely to say religion is very important, but youth are not far 35 2003 2007 2011 33 behind; it is those aged 30 to 59 who are least apt to share 29 27 28 25 this view. 21 21 22 14 14 10 6 6 7 Religion is very important part of your life By religious affiliation and age 2011 At least once Every 2-3 Once a month Special services Never/ per week weeks or less only almost never TOTAL 39
Catholic 28
Mainline Protestant 39
Evangelical Christian 73
Other Christian 51
Other religion 47
18-29 43
30-44 31
45-59 33
60+ 50
Environics Institute 40 BELIEF IN GOD. Apart from religion, do Canadians – INTEREST IN SPIRITUALITY. Declining afliation with religious or not – believe in God or a universal spirit? Eight organized religion over the past decade or so may well be in ten (79%) say they do, compared with 17 percent who do giving way to growing interest in spirituality manifested in not, and another three percent who are not quite sure. Such other ways, but such a trend is not apparent in the current belief is expressed by 90 percent or more among followers of data. One in four (23%) Canadians say they have become Christian denominations, compared with 81 percent among more interested in spiritual matters over the past fve years, non-Christian followers, and even claims a small majority but this proportion is now lower than it was in 1998 (when (53%) of those who have no religious afliation. 33% reported such increased interest). Over the same period, a small and declining proportion (8%, down 4 points) report Like personal importance of religion, belief in God or a less interest than before, while an increasing majority (68%, universal life spirit is most widespread among non-European up 14) indicate their level of interest in spiritual matters has immigrants and Canadians with lower levels of education not changed since fve years ago. and income, as well as among women, and those aged 45 years and older. Since 1998, renewed interest in spirituality has declined across all strata of the population, but most noticeably While belief in God or a universal spirit among Canadians among the university educated, women, and residents of is widespread, they do not approach the U.S. standard: 92 Quebec and B.C. In 2011, increased interest in spirituality percent of Americans believe in God or a universal spirit, and is most widely reported among Evangelical (47%) and 71 percent are “absolutely certain” in their belief (based on a “other” (41%) Christians, and least so among those without a 2008 Pew Center survey). religious afliation (16%) and Catholics (19%).
While Canadian youth (18 to 29) are least likely to have a Belief in God or a universal spirit? religious afliation, they are more likely than older cohorts to By gender and education 2011 report a growing interest in spirituality. YES 91 85 79 82 80 More or less interested in spiritual matters 73 75 More or less interested in spiritual matters thanthan fivefve yearsyears agoago 19981998 -- 20112011 68
54
17 1998 2011 3 33 Yes No Unsure Men Women Focus Canada 2011 41 Religion in a social context IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION TO CANADIANS INTERACTION BETWEEN RELIGIOUS AND NON- GENERALLY. Apart from their own personal lives, how do RELIGIOUS. One question not yet explored in research is Canadians view the importance of religious practice in the the extent to which religious and non-religious Canadians moral and ethical life of Canadians generally? Most believe mix with each other or stick with their own kind when it religion is in fact important, but this view is much less comes to family and socializing. Results from Focus Canada strongly held than it was 30 years ago (not surprising, given reveal that a majority (58%) of Canadians report spending declining rates of religious afliation). time with friends and family that includes a mix of people who do and do not place importance on religion. Among One in four (26%) believe religion today is very important in the remainder, 25 percent say most of their contacts are the moral/ethical lives of Canadians (down 16 points from with people who do not place importance on religion (most 1981), with another 35 percent saying this is somewhat notably in Quebec), while 15 percent say most of their important (down 1), and a similar proportion who believe it friends and family make religion a priority (notably among is not very (27%) or not at all (9%) important (up 17). allophones). The importance placed on religious practice among Across religious groups, mainline Protestants (67%) are Canadians is closely linked to people’s own personal most likely to say they intermingle with both religious and connection. Strong importance is most widely identifed by non-religious friends and family, but this is also the case Evangelical (66%) and other (48%) Christians, and least so by for majorities of members of other religious afliations, as Quebecers (11%). Canadians aged 60 plus continue to be the well as those who are non-religious (56%). Both Evangelical generation most likely to say that religion is very important Christians and those without any religion are most apt to say in this country, but the gap with today’s youth has narrowed they associate primarily with others in the same group. considerably over the past 30 years: Canadians aged 18 to 29 are as likely as they were in 1981 to consider religion to be very important to the population, while this view has With whom do you generally spend time? declined signifcantly among older cohorts. By religious affiliation 2011 TOTAL 15 25 58 Religious practice is very important Religious practice is very important Catholic 16 28 54 inin the the moral/ethical moral/ethical lives lives of of Canadians Canadians Mainline Protestant 14 18 67 ByBy age age 1981 1981 - - 2011 2011 Evangelical Christian 29 9 60 1981 2011 60 48 Other Christian 22 15 60 42 40 36 Other religion 20 11 68 26 28 25 25 20 No religion 8 33 56 TOTAL 18-29 30-44 45-59 60+ Mostly religious people Mix of religious/non-religious people Mostly non-religious people Environics Institute 42 DO RELIGIOUS AND NON-RELIGIOUS CANADIANS Aross religious groups, followers of non-Christian faiths SHARE COMMON VALUES? While this year’s Focus (63%) and mainline Protestants (60%) are most likely to Canada survey reveals that religious and non-religious say they share common values on most things with non- Canadians hold similar opinions on most of the issues religious Canadians, while this view is less prevalent among explored in this survey, to what extent do Canadians feel Evangelical Christians (39%, with a plurality saying they they share values in common with those who have a share such values “on some things”). Education appears to be diferent perspective on religion than their own? Is there among the strongest infuences on this issue: As education evidence of a “values” divide between the religious and non- level rises, so does the belief that one shares much in religious communities in this country? common with those with a diferent orientation to religion (and this relationship applies equally to religious and non- A modest majority (54%) of Canadians believe they share religious Canadians). common values “on most things” with people whose orientation to religion is diferent from their own (i.e., whether they have a religious afliation or not). Another Do you share common values with those who place Do you share common values with those who place three in ten (32%) say they share such values “on some a different perspective on religion? things,” while only one in ten (11%) indicate they share a diferent perspective on religion? By religious or not 2011 2011 common values only “on a few things.” Have religious affiliation 53 56 Notably, perceptions of sharing most values in common No religious affiliation are equally likely among those who are religious (53%) and 32 31 those who are not (56%). 12 9 Share common values Share common values Share common values on most things on some things on few things Focus Canada 2011 43